An Affair With Fashion

Friends, I’m asking you for help. I love having throw-outs and doing a wardrobe cleanse to donate to charity. Spring Cleaning is not a concept I live by. Several Throw-outs a Season is a more apt description. The kind that make my husband grab everything and claim their worthiness to be kept!

This dress has been bothering me. I’ve moved it out of the wardrobe to the “to try before it flies (into the charity donation bin)”. But I’m stumped. I bought it at a warehouse outlet at a price that didn’t make me hesitate for long enough.

I was heavily under the influence of Gok-inspired fashion – a stripe dress paired with bright-coloured accessories. Ok, I know I was shopping under the influence. Shopping under the influence is dangerous isn’t it? It makes us buy things with a little less thought. A lot more spontaneous wildness. Sometimes it works swimmingly. Other times the dress hangs unworn. Meet this black and white dress from Garfunkle Australia. It’s around one to two years old and remains unworn. It’s lonely.

Every time I’ve looked at it for a wedding, the knee length, style and colours all combined have me worried it’s too bridesmaid-y. By coincidence a dear friend owns the long floor length version of this dress and it looked stunning for a formal wedding and not bridesmaid-y at all. So, the knee length and a-line shape is what throws me for that type of occasion. For any other occasion it feels too dressy. I’ve thought about wearing a belt over it and unpicking the bow (that’s the most you’ll get me to use a needle and thread). But I feel it’s too busy with the corset-style back to add a belt.

What do you think? Can you give me some pointers on how you would style it? Pretty please?

I feel so lucky to have some gorgeous ladies participating in my review of fashion purchases for 2009! We’ve already laughed and reminisced with Vanja Stace, My Edit and Adored Austin.

This week I asked the lovely Megan from Time After Tea to share her fashion story for last year. Every time I read her blog, even just the title alone makes me want to sit down with a cup of tea and gaze at the sky in between writing long letters to friends. Here are the answers from Megan…

What is the name of your blog?
Time After Tea

When did you start the blog?
October 2009

What do you blog about?
Anything and everything really. Whatever happens to inspire me on the day. However, I regularly post about "Body Love" and mail art.

Please tell us about your "It Only Happened Once" affair or your "Bloggers’ Victorious Flings" affair or your "Reveal Your Obsession" Affair.
My new obsession, Maxi Dresses

Phone Photo from Time After Tea.

Where did you buy this item?
I always thought I was too short to get away with wearing a maxi dress. I would see other girls wearing them and sigh with envy. Anyway I spotted this one in Just Jeans and it was on sale, only $20, so I tried it on. It looked pretty good and I didn’t think I was too short after all. Every time I wear it I get compliments, I think the colours are really vibrant and catch people’s attention. I think I learnt an important lesson not to write off a certain "fashion" item because I think it wont suit me. You have to try it on before you write it off. I now have three maxi dresses and wear them to death. They are a one stop outfit and something to pull out when you think that nothing suits you.

What are your new year’s resolutions in relation to your An Affair With
Fashion?
I love vintage pieces so want to keep an eye out for pieces that reflect my style. I am also in my last year of university so money is a little tight, so I am hoping to do a little more op shopping and thrifting. It’s amazing what you can find!

Thanks for sharing your new obsession Megan! I agree it is fun to just give something a chance and try it on. Then we can find new garments that we never thought we would wear. You look great in this dress! Has anyone else found an obsession by taking this chance in the change rooms?

I am happy to wait a little longer for an affair with fashion at a bargain. I can live with not being up-to-the-minute trendy and wait until the prices go down. So often I resist new trends at first and then after time some trends grow on me, by which time they’re at the outlet stores anyway!

I’m very excited to discover this new Australian online discount store, Fashion Labels 4 Less which means I can do outlet shopping from home. And they ship worldwide! The store features labels such as Wish, Truese, Ladakh, Honey and Beau, Anise, Cooper Street, Bebe Sydney, Grace and Hart, Talulah, Seduce, Siren, Peep Toe & Lipstik.

Here’s a few things I’m eyeing at the moment.

I smile as I write this, knowing some of my new blog friends love me for sharing these finds and despair at the same time as they strive to avoid another affair with fashion! Sorry for making you want to stray!

            
Copyright of photos remain with Fashion Labels 4 Less.